The 34-year-old Belgian suffered a double fracture to his collarbone during the first stage of the Three Days of De Panne. After examination, he has been booked in to undergo surgery. Willems was one of four riders who did not finish the stage while sickness prevented Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) from starting the race.

Willems started his season at the Tour de San Luis in Argentina and had recently ridden Tirreno-Adriatico and the Belgian double of Dwars door Vlaanderen and Gent-Wevelgem.